Eating local in North Philly

Before I go into this facetious post about our neighborhood food desert, I'd like to state that I wholly advocate supporting local farmers and eating things that have grown near you. (Although I don't always do it, and I sometimes use the principle as a title for facetious blog posts.) Okay, conscience clear.

I had been thinking about this pumpkin spice granola from Two Peas and Their Pod since it caught my eye when I made the zucchini fries last week. On Sunday afternoon, I realized I had all of the ingredients except for the applesauce. I easily could have biked (or driven) to a grocery store, but that seemed like such a hassle for one ingredient so I considered using the less-healthy alternative, canola oil. Laura the Always Helpful suggested I check the corner store on our block for applesauce.

These little convenience stores are on every corner, but the only one I had gone into keeps every product behind glass so you have to order it from the clerk. I found the one on Thompson Street to be more browsable, so I could check the labels. They had Mott's with high fructose corn syrup. I know.... As I scanned the shelves, my eye landed on a tiny jar labeled Apples. I checked the label: apples, ascorbic acid. Perfect! 

Come to find out, Gerber makes a lovely applesauce that is tasty and ideally textured to substitute oil in baking. Thank you, Girard Mini Market. 

If you are hankering for more fall food, like I am, please try this granola. I ended up nixing the maple syrup, doubling the cinnamon (because I love it), and using walnuts instead of pepitas. But my version maintains a lovely pumpkin flavor and the desired autumn essence. It is quite delicious with plain yogurt, almond milk or all by itself.

I have a guest coming this weekend and I'm trying to be the host with the most. He doesn't need to know there's baby food in the granola. 

With love.

Phavorite Phall Phare

Someday when this blog has amassed vast archives, I will curse myself for using that title because it is not descriptive of the recipe. I also might curse myself for using a title so cheesy, but in the spirit of the new home and the new season, I will publish it proudly.

(I'm just kidding...you know I don't curse.)

This meal kicks off the fall food season. No more beachy food. Lots of squash. Ubiquitous pumpkin spice latte references on twitter. I love this time of year.

I am reminded of this post that I wrote a lifetime ago from my porch in Lawrence. The spring weather I extolled did indeed turn into a scorching summer, and I feel the same urgency to spend a lot of time outside before the brutal winter comes again.

With that said, I have some bike trails to attend to. Let's move on to the merits of this dish so you can try it before the season is over. The combination is a bit different every time I make it, and of course you should feel free to be creative with it too. What it comes down to is my overall cooking philosophy: get as many of my favorite flavors into one bowl.

Plus, this meal makes me think of my dearest Lawrence friends, which is a lovely side effect.

Here are the steps: chop vegetables, chop squash, cook quinoa, combine. All this can be done while watching 'When Harry Met Sally' with your roommates. I tested it.

Please refer to this post for the quinoa tutorial and a summery version of this recipe. This time, I stirred curry and cinnamon into the quinoa...the curry is pretty subtle and the cinnamon gives the dish a very phall phlavor. (Okay, that's the last time.)

Now you could stop there and enjoy it just fine, but what really puts the dish over the top is the feta. If you like feta (does anyone not like feta?), the cheese adds a delightful salty contrast. Toss in some walnuts or pecans for more crunchy protein.

Yum.

Melanie had late class this night, so we saved her a helping. But the real reason for the next photo is to remind you to submit your own photography to the River to Well competition. 

The deadline is in one week.
Help restore wells in Mozambique.

Acorn Squash Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables
Serves 4

1 acorn squash, pitted and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 T. honey or maple syrup
1 T. olive oil
1 t. red pepper flakes
Dash of sea salt and black pepper

1/2 c. quinoa, rinsed thoroughly
1 c. water
1 T. curry
1/2 T. cinnamon
Dash of salt

Half an onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 carrot, halved and sliced
1 c. broccoli florets (fresh or frozen and thawed)
1 small zucchini, halved and sliced

If you are feeling sweet, try subbing these for some of the veg:
1 apple, chopped
1/2 c. craisins or raisins

Walnuts or pecans
Feta cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together honey, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper; toss with acorn squash pieces on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes or until fork tender, stirring once.

Place all chopped vegetables on a second baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast on the oven rack below the squash. These can be in the oven for 30-45 minutes; just make sure to stir occasionally.

Bring water to a boil and stir in the rinsed quinoa. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the quinoa has puffed up. Drain off any excess water, then stir in the curry, cinnamon and salt.

Remove the aromatic roasted vegetables and squash from the oven and combine everything (including quinoa) in a large bowl (or the baking pan). 

Top with chopped nuts and feta and serve with some grainy bread. OR wrap this mixture in a whole-wheat tortilla with baby spinach for a tasty quinoa burrito.





With love.

baked zucchini fries

When we were young, Kelsey and I called our baby sister tons of weird nicknames, including the most affectionate 'Cinder-Lindsey.' This one put us in the mean, bossy big sister roles and Linds was left to helplessly do our bidding in the sympathetic Cinderella role. We thought it was clever, Lindsey hated it, and that nickname became the quickest way to push her buttons. Sorry, Linny. I love you. I'm glad we can all laugh about it now.

If you'll recall this image... Baby sister was doomed from the start.

Thankfully Cinder-Lindsey endured with grace enough to email this delicious recipe (via Two Peas & Their Pod) as a thoughtful housewarming gift. She knows me well.

Now, if you'll bear with me, there is another story about the strange coincidences that have kept me from making this dish until now, three-plus weeks into this warm house. Two weeks ago I purchased a big, beautiful zucchini, and while it waited in the fridge to be turned into fries, the power went out to our oven. It took Steve the electrician about a week to come over (a huge bike race blockade kept him away one day...strange! I know.). Steve fiddled with some wires and got the outlet working again, but by that time, the zuke had gone bad. I went to Trader Joe's yesterday to get a new one and they were all out. Strange! I know. (Actually not really, because it's the end of zucchini season.) Whole Foods pulled through in the clutch, though, and to show my appreciation, I spent $5.38 on three of the elusive squashes. The trials I go through for good food! 

Barring trips to multiple markets, the ingredients are quite simple. Zucchini, egg whites, bread crumbs/parmesan, spices (including salt and pepper pandas -- my housewarming gift to Kelsey!). 

The move left me with less spice organization, but I am learning to make it work.

After

Before

My disclaimer on this recipe is do not make it if you are in a rush. It is worth every minute, but it will take you several. It is the perfect project for a rainy afternoon like this one. 

Start by chopping those coveted zukes into french fries.

Dip each lovely bit into frothy egg whites then roll it in cheesy bread crumbs (which are really the shining star of this recipe...the zucchini are merely a vehicle).

Line them up strategically on a cooking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Flip them with a spatula if you are more dextrous than I, or grab and flip the hot little pieces quickly enough not to burn your fingertips. Bake for 8 minutes more, or until golden.

The original recipe recommends marinara sauce for dipping. I recently purchased a jar of TJ's salsa that I've been eating at any opportunity (as salad dressing on spinach mostly). It tasted pretty great on these fries too.

I wish you could have been here, Beezers, but I did manage to enjoy the zucchini fries very much. Come visit. I'll make you some. I'd do all this work for you in a heartbeat. Role reversal.

Baked Zucchini Fries

Barely adapted from Two Peas & Their Pod

2-3 medium zucchini, sliced into skinny sticks

2 large egg whites, beaten

1/2 c. bread crumbs (I used panko)

2 T. grated parmesan

1/4 dried basil

Pinch of dried oregano (or substitute Italian seasoning)

1/4 t. garlic powder

Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.

In a small bowl, beat egg whites with a fork until frothy.

Put the breadcrumbs, seasonings and parmesan on a plate; mix well.

Dip the zucchini sticks in the egg whites and then into the bread crumb mixture, making sure all sides get coated well. Place the sticks on the baking sheet.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown and a little crispy. I turned over the fries halfway through. Serve warm with marinara sauce (or salsa!). 

With love.

This is my 'hood.

Not really. That is super-swank Rittenhouse.

This is our 'hood:

With its litter and weeds and abandoned houses.

With its too-talkative men and tricked-out cars.

With its persistent ice cream truck, charming trolley and yippy Papillon.

With its always-full bus stop and never-full cafes.

With its precious children and tough-loving mamas.

With its ultra cool hip-hopsters.

With its view of the skyline.

It is beautiful. It steals my heart and breaks it every day. I have so much to be thankful for, including a safe little row house in this neighborhood.

With love.

Garbanzos Marinados

I always thought 'chickpea' sounded much daintier than 'garbanzo' so I am going to stop pretending to have a fancy tapas menu like Bar Ferdinand, where we discovered this delight. Mom and Dad treated us to tapas and sangria at the hip restaurant that features decor inspired in the most handsome, modern way by the children's book Ferdinand the Bull. Literature + tapas = a great dining experience.

When they brought the garbanzos marinados out, Mom jotted down the components so I could recreate it. It was delicious -- another salty, vinegary treat. Perhaps once the weather changes, I will stop craving these picnicky foods. But for now, I will enjoy some marinated chickpeas.

The poor tuna got left out of the ingredient photo, but I didn't forget it when it mattered. Please imagine that Kelsey is holding a large fish in the background.

Although the marinade plays a big role (it's in the name!), the red wine/olive oil is subtle enough to highlight the other flavors. I did stray from the Bar Ferdinand version, partly because I forgot to grab Mom's list, but I was pleased with how mine turned out.

I didn't miss the anchovy, but I wish I would have remembered the zucchini. I substituted really thin julienne carrots, sliced with a peeler this time. Shortly after I took this photo, I began eating carrot peels so I didn't have to chop as many. That was the process that took the most time. This recipe is great.

Grab a bowl with a lid (Tupperware) and whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, parsley, salt and pepper. Add the vegetables and rinsed chickpeas, and toss to coat.

Refrigerate for four hours, shaking the Tupperware every once in awhile. Then stir in the tuna and serve the marinated goodness atop baby spinach. Use another of the myriad Tupperware options to tote your picnicky meal to an actual picnic. These are two of my new roommates! Kelsey and I ate with them before a church book study on Flannery O'Connor. Literature + church = a great church experience.

Marinated Chickpeas
Serves 3-4

1 can chickpeas (or garbanzos)
2 carrots, julienned
1-2 T. red onion, minced
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 can of tuna
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 T. red wine vinegar
1/4 c. olive oil
1 t. dried parsley
Salt and pepper
Spinach for serving

Whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Toss in the rinsed chickpeas and vegetables; refrigerate for four hours, shaking occasionally. Just before serving, stir in the tuna. Eat with fresh spinach.



With love.

sweet potato gnocchi + spinach pesto

We have had a string of gloomy days here in the Northeast. I have been whining about not being able to ride my bike, meanwhile the rain has been wreaking havoc on major parts of Philly and our state. I woke up with sun in my eyes yesterday to learn that the president declared a state of emergency for Pennsylvania. Counting my blessings, including that my worst problem is restlessness from being cooped up. One day, I had to read State of Wonder all afternoon.

Blessing two: Nicole's bus was able to make it here from New York. Kelsey worked with Nicole last summer, and I have gotten to know and love her too. She will live in Philly this year and hopefully come over to cook with us again. 

Which brings me to blessing number three (I could go on like this forever): sweet potato gnocchi and spinach pesto. That might count as two separate blessings. Or perhaps I should simply thank God for food and taste buds. Every day.

Sweet potato gnocchi is messy and time intensive, but very simple and very tasty. And when you're a food blogger cooking with company, you can pick up your camera and leave the dough hands to Nicole.

Ingredients: sweet potatoes (cooked and mashed), garlic (minced), cinnamon (sprinkled), salt (pinched), egg (beaten), flour (leveled). I used pumpkin pie spice last time I made this, which gave it a lovely and decidedly fall flavor. Either way, the sweetness is beautifully balanced by garlicky pesto. I didn't get photos of the ingredients because I was eating dark chocolate gelato (before dinner!) with a new friend named Jessica, and I arrived home just in time for the fun stuff.

Process: knead all ingredients into a silky, sticky dough, then roll it into sweet potato snakes on a floured surface. Cut into one-inch pieces and press a fork over each one to make them fancy and more capable of holding sauce.

Toss these bits into boiling water in small batches...roughly the amount that fit on a dinner plate. When they float to the top, cook for a minute or two more and remove to a flat surface with a slotted spoon. 

Once they have cooled enough, feel free to pop one in your mouth. That is the joy of cooking.

This is a good time to show you the bigger, behind-the-scenes picture. We had a mysterious electrical malfunction and the all-important outlets that give power to the fridge and oven went out. When the breaker box didn't help, we had to be resourceful. The food will not spoil and the dinner party will go on.

The pesto requires about one minute of work, so whip that up whenever you're comfortable doing so. You could even make it a day or two ahead. I love everything about this sauce: spinach, basil, garlic, parmesan. I have used it on pizza too. Oh, yes.

There was some discussion that we should have made a salad, but we decided that there were enough nutrients in the meal. Especially since Kelsey and Nicole had picked up a bottle of merlot at the wine and spirits shop around the corner. 

For good measure, we also had fruit for dessert...

Covered in chocolate and some decadent sugary oatmeal that Nicole maliciously introduced to our palates.

It was a massacre. And I'd argue that is the best way to have dessert. Even if it's your second dessert in three hours (whoops).

Blessing number five(?): the sun is out and I can pick up the wandering bike rides where I left off.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

2 sweet potatoes

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. cinnamon

1 egg

2 c. flour

Cook the sweet potatoes either in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes or in the microwave for 8 minutes (be sure to poke them with a fork prior to cooking). Remove skins and mash them, then add all ingredients but the flour and mix well. Add flour a bit at a time to form the dough.

On a floured surface, roll into several ropes, then cut into one-inch pieces. Drop into boiling water; when they begin to float, cook for a minute more, then remove to a flat surface with a slotted spoon.

To serve, top with parmesan cheese and/or some delicious sauce, such as...

Spinach Pesto

4 c. fresh spinach leaves, stems removed

2 garlic cloves, halved

3 T. pine nuts or walnuts (optional)

1/2 t. dried basil

1/4 c. olive oil

1/3 c. grated parmesan

1/8 t. salt

Place one cup spinach with the next four ingredients into the food processor and process until smooth. Add the rest of the spinach and the olive oil gradually. At the end, ad the cheese and salt and process until combined.

Serve this on gnocchi, pasta, pizza, sandwiches, etc.

With love.